As I have mentioned before, I am running Brighton Marathon on 6th April 2014. This will be my first marathon, having run 76 parkruns, numerous 10Ks and 3 half-marathons since I started running in summer 2011. Like many would-be marathon runners I am feeling daunted by the challenge, but also excited. I am very aware that training over the winter will be tough – I do actually prefer training in the cold, but it is hard to remember that when it is dark, freezing and I’ve just done a long day at work.
My training plan officially started yesterday (I have a 16 week Runners World schedule, but I’ve added in some additional weeks in case of injury or illness) but I’ve been looking ahead to January and February and thinking about how to ensure I stay motivated. Luckily, I’m not the only runner facing the same challenges and one of my favourite podcasts, MarathonTalk, is running a challenge called Jantastic. I participated last year and found it really helped me to make sure I ticked off my weekly runs. You can sign up from December and basically you pledge the number of runs that you are going to do each week throughout the period. Last year I went for 4, which at the time was challenging but manageable and helped me to a good PB at the Cambridge Half Marathon (in March). This year, my marathon training plan requires 5 runs a week, so that is what I will be pledging. It already feels daunting, but I am sure that Jantastic will help me brave the wintry conditions and get out there.
My training plan doesn’t just include running. I’m lucky in that I have never had a serious injury, but I have, for want of a better word, dodgy knees. My right knee in particular tends to get stiff and occasionally painful. I’ve had it checked out by a physio who couldn’t see anything in particular wrong – it is likely to be weak, tight muscles rather than an issue with the joint itself. Over the summer I did a strength session at the gym every week (weighted lunges, squats etc) and did see some improvement. Over Autumn I stopped doing the sessions as regularly but recently the knee pain is back, so the sessions are on the plan again – initially fortnightly to make it manageable, but I’ll see how that goes.
On top of the strength sessions, I know that I need to improve my flexibility. I already do a weekly Pilates class and I am hopeful that increased core strength will help support my body as the training runs get longer. However, I have been thinking for a while about adding in a yoga class to focus specifically on stretching rather than strength. Charlie from one of the other blogs that I follow, The Runner Beans is organising a 21 day Yoga Challenge for January and I have decided to join in. Charlie has kindly allowed me to bend the rules slightly by including Pilates as well as Yoga, but it will still be tricky to attempt to fit in 5 runs a week, a strength session and 21 yoga/Pilates sessions over the course of 31 days! I’m looking forward to embracing the increased exercise though (and the additional food and sleep that comes with that) and will be blogging my way through all aspects of marathon training.